Democrats: Willis is a fighter with the best record, plan

Senate District 10 was not drawn for a Democrat. Statistically, its voters skew Republican.

But that did not stop Fort Worth Democrat Wendy Davis from winning two terms by putting together coalitions among those voters, and two Fort Worth Democrats hope to take her place.

Of the two, Libby Willis has the longer record of speaking for community needs and fighting for heartfelt causes.

As the daughter-in-law of 43-year Fort Worth state senator, representative and City Council member Doyle Willis, she has campaigned in communities across the district and upholds his legacy as a champion of public education, public employees and veterans’ healthcare.

A native of Abilene and a Baylor University graduate, Willis is a former teacher who has worked in historic preservation and served as one of the most high-profile past presidents of the Fort Worth League of Neighborhood Associations.

Fort Worth Democrat Mike Martinez is a Benbrook product and former Texas House aide who is now a partner in an energy company and an avid supporter of scholarship foundations at the University of Texas at Austin.

Martinez brings the Democratic Party what it badly needs: business savvy, leadership experience and knowledge of the Texas energy industry.

But the two candidates disagree on casino gambling. Willis is opposed, saying the human costs and disproportionate impact on low- and middle-income Texans make casinos a bad bet.

The Star-Telegram Editorial Board recommends Libby Willis in the Democratic primary for Texas Senate District 10.